"It's blurry," is probably the first thing most people will say. Personally, I think it works. I’m just not sure if everyone can "stomach" it. Definitely not for the crowd that wants everything perfect.
This isn't a technical manual or a guitar lesson. To be honest, I think a sharp shot with frozen motion would just kill the whole vibe. This isn't about the grain of the wood or the way he grips the neck. It’s about the rhythm and the drive bleeding through the frame. That blurred hand – that's the sound you hear, even if it’s just a still photo.
Do you feel it too? Or is it just me?
Out of the few shots I took this way, the black-and-white one wins. By stripping away the color, I left nothing but the motion and the contrast. It looks like a classic reportage shot from a 70s rock club, and honestly, it feels the most "intentional." Like the blur isn't a mistake, but a deliberate move meant to spark an emotion.
The color versions aren't half bad, but they just don't pack the same punch. Sure, the blurred hand still works, and the warm wood of the guitar feels good, but it saps the rawness out of the frame. It loses that weight the black and white version carries. The monochrome shot just has more grit, more truth – and a hell of a lot more soul.
An artist probably shouldn't explain their work – the shot should stand on its own – but sometimes I think it helps to hand the viewer a key. Not to over-explain, just to give them a little nudge. I want them to know I didn't just botch the focus or fumble the camera 😊.
What’s your take on shots like these?
